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"speech"

'thought'

"English"


Void and veil- Yet to come

Entering the living room, I saw Sonia sitting on one side of the blue L-shaped couch and Gran on the other. With Yamper and Chewtle we're lying next to Sonia's side of the couch. Welp, guess I am in the middle then.

"Now children, it has come to my attention, that I have become far too focused on my Dynamax research," Gran, say what?

"What?" Sonia articulated my thoughts, "Gran, the Dynamax phenomenon is your specialty. Of course, you're gonna spend more time on it."

Gran chuckled, "No, Sonia, I mean in general, dear. I've spent far too long on that alone. I've neglected other research fields, I shouldn't have. And you two." She sighed and cut Sonia's and my response off, "Stop."

"I've been too focused on my research," She repeated. "I'm a regional professor I am held to a higher standard, and I am your grandmother, not just your caretaker," She sighed.

"Errr, Gran-" I tried, but was cut off.

"None of that young man," she interrupted me. "I might have provided for the two of you, monetarily. But you have basically raised yourselves, I love you children, but outside of those first few months, I helped get you both settled in. I have thrown myself into my research, not been around as much, haven't I?" Here Sonia fidgeted. Though I hadn't noticed, as an adult in mind I was used to my independence and I knew people grieved differently.

"I dealt with what... Happened, by throwing myself into my research as soon as you were both safe. I became absorbed by it, let it become my crutch," My Grandmother let out a slow breath, eyes screwed shut and shoulders slumped.

Well, she wasn't wrong per se, it's not like she isolated us or doesn't care. She just kept herself occupied as much as she could outside of us. Sonia went to school, and she would take me to the lab, I was pretty self-sufficient. I'd do my schoolwork there in about 15 minutes, seriously it was primary school stuff, though I was three at the time. So, I would read the books she had in the lab, or ask to go to the public library, which remarkably had no computers. Gran would just hum and nod in affirmative, I. Was. Three! All the research assistants had left by then.

"Now. In light of this realization, I WILL be taking a larger interest in both of your lives. Sonia," She addressed my still fidgeting sister. "Relax, love, I'm not keeping you from your journey," Sonia sighed and stopped squirming in her seat. And the tension in the air dissipated, I realized. I could feel Hatenna's grasp on my forced calm from the emotion between my two female family members.

*Throb* Ouch

"Really?" Sonia looked up hopefully and, sadly?

"Indeed," Gran continued, "However, well." Here Gran paused, much to Sonia's dismay, "You never had coaching, in preparation for your journey."

"Coaching?" Sonia questioned confusingly.

Yeah, coaching? Huh? *Throb* Ow

"Indeed, once the league was formed in the great war and ended it overtaking the national governments, the league needed a way to prevent casualties among children," She seemed to sag. "After the air strikes, and the lowering of the age of majority, for the war too many had died, and there weren't many children left compared to prior generations," She had both our attention.

"Many were orphans and without homes, entering a new system, a new government. The league wanted to protect the next generation. So, they made it mandatory for children to be given training, for their journeys. Which had become a new rite of passage for these children who had nowhere to go, which in turn created the GYM system. After all, many of these children had been conscripted soldiers with little to no training, just given a weapon. Now they wanted to help their fellows. Or parents who lost their children. This became some of the first GYM's and the circuit was born," Gran explained to us, and I was listening raptly. I hadn't known any of this, it was sort of glossed over in the history books we had.

"As the system came into effect, training became available every year for new trainers or ones doing poorly, this minimized casualties. Though as humans and Pokemon repopulated exceptions were made in the form of endorsement letters from elite trainers, these letters meant the individual was already trained," Gran opened her eyes and looked at Sonia.

"And Sonia has no training," I concluded. Sonia was fidgeting again.

*Throb*

"Correct, in Galar intelligent Students would be given the option to enter a trainer's school to enter the league. But others only have the coaching school a month before entering the league. Sonia, I will be sponsoring you which is why you weren't transferred to a trainer school earlier, I apologize I should have done this earlier, but in light of this I've noticed more and more sponsored trainers without the proper training, I have entered you into the coaching school for a month, two months from now," Gran nodded to herself.

Sonia looked at our grandmother, "You're sponsoring me, gran?" At the older woman's nod, Sonia jumped for joy, literally.

"Thanks, Gran!" Sonia flew across the room and glomped the old woman, coursing her to chuckle. And for Yap and Chewie to jump at the action.

"Wait I thought only elite trainers, could sponsor other trainers?" I spoke up. As Gran patted Sonia on the back.

"Originally, yes. Elite trainers could sponsor one person. GYM leaders can sponsor two, excluding GYM trainers who must train with them for at least two years. These endorsements are paid for by the league. Champions like Mustard can sponsor up to 3 trainers but must pay half of their endorsement. Finally, the chairman of the league and regional professor can endorse as many trainers as they wish but must pay for them. My research assistants were, however, paid for by the league," That explained a lot.

"So guess I'm going to, coaching school, then," My sister stated. As she stood back up.

"Not alone, you're not," Gran counted.

Sonia looked confused, and I know I was, "What do ya mean, Gran?"

"When I noticed that so many sponsored trainers were entering the league untrained, I brought it up with chairman rose," Gran began.

Oh, no, not him, that's the guy that summons Eternatus. I felt panic from Hatty, Damnit.

*Throb* Damn that too.

Gran continued, not noticing my internal annoyance, "We will be holding month-long classes for anyone new with or without sponsorship. Officially, it's to combat the growing casualty rate, due to increased wild Pokemon numbers. Unofficially, it's because sponsors haven't been training their wards." Gran seemed upset at herself here, "In order to make this happen I volunteered to help teach, which means you will be coming with us, Jericho." Gran nodded at me. Shit. I guess no matter how smart, she wouldn't leave a six-year-old alone.

*Throb*

"Woo-hoo, family trip," Sonia jumped for joy.

*THROB*

Gran smiled at the action, "Yes, several children will be making the trip with their families. Including your friend Leon."

"Nice, you'll be able to me Hoppy!" Sonia was all smiles now. My head was getting worse and Hatenna was a few seconds away from jumping her.

"Great," I gave a faux smile. Juuuust great.

"This is going to be great" Sonia chirped. And I took a stabilizing breath, my calm was cracking.

*THROB* *THROB* PAIN

Sonia stopped for a second looking at me and frowning, "Are you OK? Your eyes are red."

"Yeah, yeah, I was just up early. Umm, if that's all, can I go take a nap?" I was doing all I could to control myself. Gran frowned but nodded regardless.

I inclined my head and left as quickly as I dared, rudeness be dammed, but I didn't need the suspicion it could bring.

I made it upstairs before I stumbled, everything hurt this time. I got to my room, closed my door, then the world went dark. The last thing a felt was a life dew hitting my body.


A/N: Eighth chapter of Void and Veil done, I know there will be some mistakes, but let me know what you think.

I wasn't sure if I should put this in the professors POV but decided against it, I will still change POV but I don't want to do it to often

Secondly the chapters will be longer after this one.